


Into the Light

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Episode: s05e04, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 11:30:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4390154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Masons find out that Cochise's dad refused to give up his Volm kidney, and Matt has an offer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Into the Light

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I know this doesn't fit in the episode timeline wise as far as getting all the Masons in the same room at the same time, but I'm in charge here.

Matt stomps his foot on the ground.  “What do you mean that your dad won’t give you his kidney?  What a jerkface!” 

“Matt!” Tom scolds, but there’s no real bite behind it.  He can’t help but agree, arm wrapped around his dying lover.

“No, he’s right,” Hal interjects.  “Cochise’s dad is just going to let him die.  He’s a jerk.”

Cochise, sitting on his and Tom’s bed, reaches out and touches Matt’s shoulder as he has seen many humans do.  “My father is only acting in accordance with his beliefs and with what is best for our people.”

“Maybe you can try talking to him again, remind him that you’re going to die without this,” Tom says, looking over at Cochise.

“He won’t change his mind,” Ben says, sitting at the far end of the bed.  He’s holding his knees pressed against his chest.  “I was there.  He basically laughed in our faces after Anne described the procedure.  He thought Anne was making a joke.”

“I find it highly unlikely that my father would laugh,” Cochise says, “but Ben is correct.  Attempting to sway him with emotions will not work.  Your ways are not Volm ways.”

“It’s like a kidney, right?” Matt asks.

“Yes, it serves a similar function,” Cochise says.

“I have two whole kidneys!” Matt says.  “You can have one!  Humans only need one.”

There’s a sudden silence as Matt grins happily at Cochise, certain he has the answer.  Cochise is going to be okay!

“Matt…” Ben says.  He doesn’t want to break Matt’s heart like this.  “In order to be able to donate a kidney to someone, there are all kinds of factors to take into consideration.” 

“So look at the factors, duh,” Matt says, shrugging at him. 

“Matthew, I do not believe it is possible to transplant an organ from a human to a Volm,” Cochise says, holding Matt by both shoulders.  “If it were, I could not ask you to give me a vital organ.”

“I’m offering!” Matt says.  “You don’t have to ask.”

“I could not accept,” Cochise says.  “It is kind of you to offer, but I would not accept your kidney.”

“Don’t be dumb,” Matt says.  “I have two.”

“Matt!” This time it’s Hal scolding Matt.  He squats and wraps his arms around Matt tightly.  “It’s Cochise.  Don’t call him dumb.”

“Yeah, okay,” Matt says.  “Sorry.”

Cochise inhales deeply, taking a moment to look at each of them.  “I do not want you to mourn me.  You each have given me great gifts.”

“We’re gonna mourn you,” Hal says.  “We care about you.”

“No, we’re not!” Matt says, voice angry.  “We’re not gonna mourn Cochise because he’s not gonna die.”

“Please, listen to me,” Cochise says.  “My health is failing, but I have lived an incredible lifespan.  My time here has been precious in ways I do not have the words to express.  I love each of you so deeply, and I am glad to die here.  I had hoped to see this battle won and each of you safe before this came to pass, but I am certain that you will be victorious.”

Ben slams his hands on the bed and darts to his feet.  “I’m going to go talk to him again.  I’m going to make him give his kidney.  We can’t lose you.”

“Ben,” Tom says, reaching out and grabbing Ben’s arm.  He pulls Ben gently into his lap.  “I think we should stay here, with Cochise.”

“I was not able to complete the Exchange of Silence with my father, which is… unfortunate, but I would like to be with you in my final hours,” Cochise says.  “You are my family.”

Matt pulls his way out of Hal’s arms and crawls into Cochise’s lap.  “Fine.  I still think you should take a kidney.”

“He’ll think about it,” Tom says, giving Cochise a look.

Hal comes and sits next to Cochise.  

“We’ll be with you,” Hal says.

“Thank you,” Cochise says.

“We love you too,” Ben says quietly.

“Is it going to hurt?” Matt asks after a long silence.  “Are you gonna be in a lot of pain?”

Cochise strokes the fluff on the top of Matt’s head.  “It will not be painful, and I will not be alone, as I had always believed I would be when this time came.  This will be more pleasant than I ever thought possible.”

“I don’t understand why you don’t want to fight this,” Ben says.

“There is no enemy to fight because a Volm accepts their inevitable demise.  We do not disrupt the natural order of our lives,” Cochise says.

“That sucks,” Matt says. 

“To borrow a human expression: it is what it is,” Cochise says.  “I am happy, I am loved, and I am going to die today.  That is not a terrible fate.”

He is so loved that his mate’s youngest offspring would give up an organ in order to preserve his life.  And Cochise has observed human healing.  It is not as quick nor as painless as Volm healing. 

This is a better fate than Cochise had hoped for.


End file.
